Estimating female malaria mosquito age by quantifying Y-linked genes in stored male spermatozoa.

ABSTRACT: Vector control strategies are among the most effective measures to combat mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria. These strategies work by altering the mosquito age structure through increased mortality of the older female mosquitoes that transmit pathogens. However, methods to monitor changes to mosquito age structure are currently inadequate for programmatic implementation. Female mosquitoes generally mate a single time soon after emergence and draw down spermatozoa reserves with each oviposition cycle. Here, we demonstrate that measuring spermatozoa quantity in female Anopheles mosquitoes is an effective approach to assess mosquito age. Using multiplexed qPCR targeted at male spermatozoa, we show that Y-linked genes in female mosquitoes are exclusively found in the spermatheca, the or

SUBMITTER: Madan D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9217924 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature